John (Stinka) of Winnipeg

His Eminence Metropolitan John (Stinka) of Winnipeg is the former the Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada. He was enthroned on July 23, 2006, in Holy Trinity Metropolitan Cathedral in Winnipeg, with Metropolitan Sotirios (Exarch of Canada) presiding over the enthronement. He was the fifth metropolitan of the UOCC and the first born in Canada. He retired at the 20th Sobor of the UOCC in July 2010.

Early

John Stinka was born on January 24, 1935, in Buchanan, Saskatchewan as the youngest of 12 children. His primary schooling was obtained at Dobranovetz School in Drobot, Sk., and he obtained his secondary education at the Yorkton Collegiate High School in Yorkton, Sk. After receiving his teaching certificate, he taught at the Hryhoriw Elementary School (near Preeceville, Sk.) and worked for 10 years in Saskatoon. He was active in the Ukrainian Orthodox community in Saskatoon, where he attended Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral, as a member of the Cathedral Choir, and as a member of CYMK (Ukrainian Orthodox Youth).

Priesthood

In the fall of 1969, John Stinka enrolled in theological studies at St. Andrew's College in Winnipeg, which he successfully completed in 1972 with a Licentiate in Theology. He continued his studies at the University of Manitoba following his Licentiate in Theology.

On August 18, 1973, he was ordained into the Holy Diaconate at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Saskatoon by Archbishop Boris, and on the August 25, 1974, in Holy Transfiguration Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Yorkton, Deacon John was ordained to the priesthood, again ordained by Archbishop Boris. Fr. John's first assignment was to Moose Jaw, Sk., and during that time convocated from the University of Saskatchewan with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. In August 1978, Fr. John was transfered to Kamsack, Sk.

Throughout his pastorship, Fr. John was active in the Ukrainian Community and the Orthodox Community as a whole. He was awarded the nabedrennik in 1977 and the skufia in 1980.

Episcopacy

At the Extraordinary Sobor of the UOCC in 1983, Fr. John was elected bishop and was ordained to the episcopacy on November 27, 1983, at Holy Trinity Metropolitan Cathedral and installed as bishop of Saskatoon by His Beatitude Metropolitan Andrew (Metiuk), His Eminence Archbishop Boris, and His Grace Bishop Wasyly (Fedak).

At the 17th Sobor in 1985 in Winnipeg, Bp. John was appointed as Bishop of Edmonton and the Western Diocese following the reposes of Abp. Boris and Metr. Andrew. In 1990 he was elevated to the rank of archbishop.

Following the repose of Metropolitan Wasyly in 2005, Abp. John became the acting primate and at the 21st Sobor in Winnipeg in 2006 was elected primate and metropolitan (and was approved by Constantinople on November 20, 2005).

His Eminence was enthroned on Sunday, July 23, 2006, at the Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral. Co-presiding were Abp. Yurij (Kalistchuk) of Toronto, Abp. Antony (Sherba) of New York & Washington (UOC-USA), and Bp. Georgie of the Serbian Diocese. Metr. Sotirios of the Greek Metropolis of Toronto presided over the enthronement, at which he presented Metr. John with a panagia on behalf of the patriarchate of Constantinople, a blue mantiya, a metropolitan's staff, and a metropolitan's white klobuk.

External links

• Metropolitan John of Winnipeg
• Metropolitan John @ UOCC.CA

Source

• "Tribute and Farewell to His Eminence Metropolitan John" (Western Diocese UOCC)

Succession box: John (Stinka) of Winnipeg
Preceded by: Wasyly (Fedak)	Bishop of Saskatoon (UOCC) 1983-1985	Succeeded by: Yurij (Kalistchuk)
Preceded by: Boris (Yakovkevych)	Bishop of Edmonton (UOCC) 1985-2006	Succeeded by: Hilarion (Rudnyk)
Preceded by: Wasyly (Fedak)	Archbishop of Winnipeg and the Central Diocese, Metropolitan and Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada (UOCC) 2006-2010	Succeeded by: Yurij (Kalistchuk)

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